


I am lost, I am found.

by WhimsicalGypsy



Series: All things Cullrian [9]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Family, Fluff, Happily Ever After, Love, M/M, Magister Dorian, Post Game, Tevinter Imperium, cullrian - Freeform, cuteness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-28
Updated: 2017-03-28
Packaged: 2018-10-12 01:54:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10479438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhimsicalGypsy/pseuds/WhimsicalGypsy
Summary: After everything, Cullen and Dorian have a house and a family,  lots of cuteness!





	1. Chapter 1

Cullen found himself lost in thought. 6 years had passed since the explosion at conclave and the breach opening, around 4 years since the exalted council where the decision was made to disband the Inquisition. The Qunari threat still hung over everyone’s head, but with no formal inquisition, Cullen had sailed to Tevinter with his husband. He smiles at the memory, Corypheus was defeated, they had survived and won, it almost didn’t seem real. The days that followed were hazy, mixed between celebration and recuperation. 

Slowly after that people began trickling from Skyhold, returning to their normal lives. Cullens heart grew heavy, he could imagine the ghosts of brave men and women they had lost who could never return home. Cullen stayed for a time, having gone from the Templar order straight into the Inquisition he was unused to freedom. In the end, only the inner circle had remained, and some refugees with no home to return to. One by one they left too, Cassandra was to be the next Divine, Axl Trevelyan went with her. Cullen and Dorian were inseparable in those final weeks at Skyhold. 

Dorian was itching to return to Tevinter Cullen knew, but he wished to stay in Ferelden a while, just to see his family, and say goodbye to Skyhold. So Dorian sailed alone, with the promise that they would be reunited soon enough, Cullen watched from the shore until the boat sailed out of sight, he returned to Skyhold one last time, to pack the things he wished to keep. He took his sword and armour, in case they were ever needed again, while rummaging through his draws he happened upon a stack of letters, the first he and Dorian had ever written to eachother, one had a familiar small purple flower, perfectly preserved, folded in its pages. He smiled as he packed those to. He ensured the refugees had enough provisions, and means to get more, then he took his horse and rode away, to Honnleath.

He remembered the shock on his elder sisters face as he rode in to view. He remembered shouting, his parents and siblings all standing, stunned, as he dismounted the spell seemed to break and in a sudden rush everyone was hugging him, he cried freely, it had been far too long. He was worried his youngest sister wouldn’t remember him, he was worried they might believe he had abandoned them, but all he felt was their love, and relief. He stayed for 2 months, having told them about Dorian and with promises that one day he’ll bring him to meet everyone he left to find a boat sailing to Tevinter. 

He remembered arriving in Tevinter and understanding why Dorian loved it. The heat for one was a shocking contrast to the Ferelden Frostbacks, the noise of the street markets the vibrancy of the wares they were selling, the smell of spices from various food stalls, it was another world to Cullen. Having asked around he arrived, unannounced, to the Magisterium where Magister Dorian Pavus was said to be. The guard had asked him his name and purpose for visiting, he’d only said his name before recognition flickered over the guards face and he was being ushered inside. 

“Is Magister Pavus expecting you?” He had asked, some what excitedly.

“Er no I thought I would surprise him”  
At that point Cullen had questioned whether arriving unannounced was the best idea. He was led down a long richly decorated marble corridor into a room.

“Very good Ser, you can leave your belongings safely in this chest, there is a bath just behind that screen where you can freshen up, shaving equipment can be found in the draws by the mirror and I can send for clean clothes for you?” 

He had spoken very fast, heating the bath water with magic has he had seen Dorian do before, it seemed magic came to these people as easily as breathing. Cullen had just stood awkwardly, asking for a plain shirt and breeches. The guard nodded and departed, he packed his things into the chest, leaving out his sword, he felt uncomfortable being unarmed. He had shaved and washed, donning his new outfit (a deep royal blue shirt that buttoned all the way up, showing a faint diamond pattern in the fabric, and dark grey breeches that hugged his legs) that smelt mildly of lemons he belted his sword and was led to an enormous set of doors. 

“Magister Pavus is currently holding court, not something that is done by other Magisters but is greatly appreciated by the people of Tevinter, he will not mind your intrusion I am sure” and with that the guard held the door open for him, and let is close quietly behind him. He was standing at the back of a hall behind a small crowd of petitioners who had come to see Dorian to tell them of any problems and to seek a solution. Dorian looked weary, slightly slumped in his seat his head resting in one hand he seemed at the end of his wits. 

“For the last time Ser, I cannot compensate you for the loss of the valuables your wife sold, this isn’t a Magisterium issue it’s marital” 

Cullen couldn’t help but laugh under his breath at that, poor Dorian, trying to do the right thing but being presented with trivial issues. Upon hearing him Dorians stormy gaze sought out the laughter, Cullen stepped forward, moving through the people until he was finally in Dorians sight. Dorian froze, his eyes shone, he clutched the arms of his seat. 

“That’s all for today” He murmured, eyes never leaving Cullen, servants and guards dismissed the locals until only a handful of people remained. Dorian strode toward him and all but flung himself into Cullens arms. Cullen had held him close, breathing in his scent. People stared and tutted but they paid no heed. They made love a lot that day, getting so lost in one another you couldn’t tell where Cullen ended and Dorian begun. It wasn’t till evening they took the time to talk, Dorian had grown out his hair, Cullen ran his fingers through it as the fading light waned through the open window.


	2. Chapter 2

A sharp crack on his skull stirred him from his reverie. 

“Dad come on play swords with me!” Cullen looked at the child that he had grown to love, the child that called him father. 

Many things go hand in hand with eachother, bread and cheese, wine and a headache, where there is a war, there will inevitably be orphans. A generation of displaced, parentless children forced to grow up before they should. Cullen would take them all if he could, his heart broke for all the children he couldn’t help. After the exalted council and their wedding they had settled in Tevinter, it was a huge scandal for a while, Dorian was not well loved by other Magisters and openly marrying a man didn’t help matters. 

Aidan was an elf, born from a slave woman named Meera who died of a fever. Dorian had campaigned to make life better for the slaves of Tevinter, he gave them better housing, access to proper food and medicine, he couldn’t abolish slavery all together so he strove to do what he could to help them. He found Aidan alone on the outskirts of Tevinter. His mother had just died, he had no owner and no one wanted another mouth to feed, he slept on the streets, he was just 3 years old. 

Dorian bought him home and just like that they settled in to a new pattern revolving around this little elf no one had wanted, a little elf they loved. He could speak a few fractured words, his name more than anything else. So they taught him to speak, and later to read and write in common and Tevene, he flourished under their care, he went from being incredibly shy to an exuberant boy in a very short time. He asked after his mother a lot, Dorian found out all he could about her, later, when he first called Cullen Daddy (Dorian was Papa) Cullen had froze, his heart flooding with love but his brain worried that it would be selfish to accept that title. 

“I know you aren’t my real Daddy, your ears aren’t pointy like mine. But you and Papa are the closest thing I have, is that okay?” Turning shy once again, 

He had called Dorian Papa almost instantly, Cullen assumed because Dorian had been the one to rescue him, that it bought him some comfort. To receive that honour from the same child caused a lump to form in Cullens throat.

“Yes that’s... Thank you, Aidan” 

They hugged and everything carried on but in Cullens heart things had changed, he was no longer a person looking after a ward, he was a father in Aidans eyes. That night he told Dorian about it and Dorian had cried happy tears, and made love to him.  
“Daaaaaaad!!” 

Cullen smiled fondly at the memories, he slowly picked up his wooden sword and spun around, swiping Aidans legs from beneath him. 

“You don’t play with swords my boy you fight with them, if I was an enemy you’d be minus 2 legs now”

Aidan scrambled to get up, having gone through an unruly growth spurt he was still getting used to his gangly limbs. He will be tall, Cullen mused, maybe taller than me. At 9 years of age he was already taller than other boys his age. He had short chestnut coloured hair that, no matter how many times Dorian attacked with a comb, stuck up in all directions. His face was all angles, prominent cheekbones, slanted green eyes that glinted with mischief, a roguish smile, yes he would definitely be causing them problems in the years to come.

A ways off a little girl sat among the flowers, watching curiously. Her name is Rosie, she had come from Crestwood. Her Aunt took her in following the death of her parents until she accidently froze the pet cat, scared of magic and what it might bring she had paid a sailor a handsome fee to take the babe to wherever his destination was, no questions asked. Miraculously she wound up in Tevinter, she was only small, not yet walking, Cullen had found her laying in a bread basket, crying. He took her in immediately, having asked around and procured what knowledge he could from the sailor, their family grew. Dorian fell in love with her instantly, with her big brown eyes, her long blonde hair, she quickly had them all wrapped around her little finger. 

Aidan was a wonderful big brother. In the early days, neither Cullen or Dorian had much experience with babies and so were learning as they went. Aidan kept her entertained, he always knew how to make her laugh, when Cullen had persuaded her to stand without help, it was towards Aidan that she took her first steps. They had all clapped and cheered so loudly she fell over with fright. She had shown little signs of magic, Dorian said it was very unusual that a child so young could perform anything of note, but occasionally she would do something without meaning to, and Dorian would have to fix it. She mostly froze things, or they would find a frosty patch where she had played. 

Cullen thought back to a time where he had feared and hated magic, he knew it could be dangerous, but so could a breadknife be in the hands of a lunatic, that doesn’t mean he should fear breadknives or ostracise people who had breadknives. He looked at her now, playing in the flowers, she had recently turned 5 and Aidan had taken it upon himself to include her in his mischief. Their house backed on to a forest. Cullen wanted to live away from the main bulk of Tevinter, Dorian had agreed, to save themselves being the focus of any abuse or frustrations, and initially to protect Aidan. 

Cullen had built it on a plot of land close enough to the town that it was easy to get to, but far enough away to give them the privacy they wanted. Dorian complained almost constantly that it wasn’t grand enough (not one chandelier!) But Cullen knew he loved it. It was big, not by Tevinter standards but they had more than enough room, they also had a stables and several horses. Aidan loved to walk among the trees, Dorian worried almost constantly when he wandered alone, Cullen didn’t like it much either but they couldn’t stop him, being an elf it seemed gave him some affinity to nature. So Cullen had decided to teach him how to defend himself, to put his and Dorians doubts to rest. 

They had started with hand to hand combat, being lithe as he is Aidan was incredibly fast and could wriggle out of any situation Cullen put him in. Now they trained with wooden swords, which Aidan hated. 

“It’s too heavy!” He complained, for at least the 800th time that afternoon. 

“It’s as heavy as it needs to be, wait till I put a shield in your other hand then you’ll see a sword is nothing” 

Aidan swiped at Cullen, Cullen sidestepped easily. With one arm folded behind his back he swung lightly at Aidan, Aidan blocked successfully.

“Good!” He shouted, gaining speed Aidan successfully blocked 3 successive blows before collapsing under the strain of it.

“Very good! You’re getting much better” 

Cullen helped him to his feet, beaming under Cullens praise his face flushed as he brushed himself off. 

“Dadda?” A small voice to his left, he crouched to better hear her.

“Yes Rosie?” 

“Is it lunchtime yet?” She twiddled a daffodil in her hands.

“Yeah Dad let’s have lunch” Aidan chimes.

“Yes alright then let’s find Papa and Baby” Cullen swung the little girl, who instantly fell into a fit of giggles onto his shoulders, Aidan ran to put the wooden swords on the rack then raced into the house.

“That brother of yours, he’ll move like a slug if you ask him to do anything but with the promise of food he’s like lightening!” Cullen held onto Rosies feet as she laughed, playing with his hair.

He ducked through the doorway and into the kitchen where Dorian was swatting Aidan away from a boiling pot on the stove.

“Sit down it’ll be ready in a minute!” He chastised fondly. 

He turned to see Cullen, both men had aged, laughter lines creasing the corners of their eyes. Dorians hair was long, tied behind his head and greying at his temples. Cullen strode over and kissed him. Dorian chuckled.

“Do you realise there’s a small person on your shoulders?” He quirked, 

“Oh? Where?” Cullen played along, prodding Rosies belly sending her into another laughing fit.

“And this elf boy just let himself in, and tried to eat our lunch!” Aidan laughed, having heard this all before but finding it funny every time. 

“Well we can’t have that can we? What an earth should we do with all these children?” 

Cullen placed Rosie on her seat next to Aidan, he went over to the basket where the Baby was sleeping and kissed him lightly.

“Well they are rather cute” Dorian turned his attention back to the food, he set out 4 bowls and ladled the soup into each.

“Yes I thought so to, and the biggest one might come in useful for housework” Aidan protested, Cullen pressed himself to Dorians back, threading his arms around the Mages waist, resting his head on Dorians shoulder.

“I suppose we’ll keep them” Dorian turned, faux sighing, winking at Rosie setting her off again. 

Cullen captured his lips for a slightly longer than intended kiss,

“Ugh can we have lunch now? I don’t want to sit here and watch my dads kiss” Aidan screwed his face up in disgust, Cullen laughed and Dorian threw a dish rag at him.

“Don’t you start I know for a fact you’ve been kissing that girl in town, the one with plaited hair” Dorian teased, Aidans face flamed.

“I haven’t!.. How do you know about that?”

“I have eyes and ears everywhere” Dorian winked, they all sat and ate the chicken soup Dorian had made, with crusty bread and butter. 

Later that night, when Cullen had put Rosie to bed for the millionth time, he entered their bedroom to find Dorian laying on his side, the Baby laying next to him cooing. Cullen climbed in beside the Baby, and lightly draped an arm around them both. 

“He needs a name, we can’t call him Baby forever” Cullen said quietly, contemplating the child. 

The Baby had come in to their lives about a fortnight ago, they had found him wrapped up in a crate in a far off alleyway in town, he was blind. Whoever his parents were, obviously couldn’t face the prospect of raising such a child and had abandoned him, so without question they had taken him in.

“I had a name in mind, if you are agreeable” Dorian murmured.

“Mm?” 

“I thought, maybe, Felix?” 

Dorian looked Cullen in the eye, Cullen saw pain there. Pain for his old friend who had died too soon. Cullen looked at the Baby, his thick black hair and cloudy sightless eyes. 

“Felix” He kissed his forehead and Felix gurgled.

Dorian was beaming, they were an entirely mismatched family, bought together by sad circumstances they were making a life, a better one. Dorian and Cullen had found happiness, and intended to keep it. 

Fin.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, I hope you've enjoyed the series I enjoyed writing it!


End file.
